Vote for your favorite pattern, plaid, and stripe
5/6/2010

**View photo gallery in the right hand margin of this page for pattern samples. Click on the thumbnails to get a larger view of the pattern as well as the designer's name.

As part of the college's re-branding efforts, Cotton Incorporated has provided LIM College with a grant so that students in the CAD (computer-assisted design) classes this semester could develop the work you see in the attached photo gallery. A committee has selected these patterns from over 100 submissions and now it is your turn to vote for the plaid, stripe, and overall print that you think best represents the new school colors! We allowed students to use accent colors to support the new school colors.

The winners in each of the three categories will receive a $1,500 scholarship and the winning selection will be used in the fall Product Development classes to make actual samples and maybe even sell the finished product in the LIM College bookstore.

Vote early and vote often for the best plaid pattern, best stripe, and best overall print in the LIM College/Cotton Incorporated design competition.

Read below for design inspiration statements from each of the students.

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening."
--Coco Chanel

My inspiration for this project has been from images of fashion. I quoted Coco Chanel for inspiration as well. Coco Chanel is well-known for inspiring practical wear for women and she was a great influence on haute couture. Coco also popularized the "little black dress." Coco was probably most remembered for her Chanel No. 5 perfume, which was and still is a popular perfume for women today. Her style was about simplicity and comfort and she told Harper's Bazaar in 1923 that "simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance."

From Coco Chanel, I can indentify and understand how fashion is something we all see around us. This is the other reason why Claude Monet paintings are another influence for my project. He was one of the creators of Impressionism. He is best known for his mastery of landscape painting. He is also known for his paintings of his garden at Givenchy, and for never wavering from his ideals of the Impressionist movement.

As a student and lover of fashion, I find myself inspired everyday. As I walk down the streets of Manhattan, I observe and digest the beauty that surrounds us. I can see why Yves St. Laurent was quoted, "Fashion fades, style is eternal." From a blog I read online, this blogger talked about how fashion also inspired them and how they develop their sense of fashion. "Having a good sense of fashion is sometimes just natural to some people who maybe are arty or just simply because they have a certain touch in being able to put together outfits that look up to date, trendy and chic, but others have to learn it the hard way and as they say practice makes perfect and so you should get the hang of it in the end." I love the fact there is no wrong answer and that the people feel so easily free to be inspired.

Overall, this project has given me some inspiration to be more creative since this will be a given legacy as a senior to leave behind something of myself for other students in LIM College. As a makeup artist for over eight years, I love the idea of being creative and using color in my craft as an artist.

Stripe 2 - Samantha Cole

My inspiration for creating clothing to put in the LIM bookstore is Las Vegas. I draw inspiration from the bright city lights and the natural pop art feel of Las Vegas. The LIM signature purple and red can be found in the night lights and on the showgirl’s elaborate outfits. These aspects along with the entertainment and glamour of this city bring so much inspiration for clothing. I was able to use many of the brightly lit colors as accents for the clothing. I feel that my inspiration can bring a fun, unexpected aspect that is missing from the clothes that are currently being offered in the bookstore.

For the end products, I envision a zip-up, a t-shirt, and pajama pants. The zip-up is what I plan to use the print pattern on. Using the Las Vegas inspired pop art, I did a pattern with welcome to Las Vegas signs. The signs are slightly distorted and a bit blurry. On the back of the zip-up is where I envision the LIM logo to be. This will be a fun, fresh take on the typical bookstore apparel. The zip-up will be made of 100% organic cotton sweatshirt fleece so students will feel warm and comfortable on chilly winter days in New York City. The plaid print will be printed on 100% Egyptian cotton and will be made into pajama pants. Pajama pants are a standard piece amongst most students’ sleepwear. I feel that plaid pajama pants with the LIM logo along the side would be a big seller for the school store.

Lastly, the striped print will be printed on a 100% lightweight cotton woven t-shirt. Students wear t-shirts daily and are always looking to purchase new ones. The shirt will be printed with thin stripes that alternate between the red, deep purple, and light purple. I decided to make the shirt with a subtle thin stripe in the LIM colors because I feel that way it will appeal to more people.

It is my hope that these pieces will be popular amongst students. Each piece represents LIM in a subtle way with its signature colors in the patterns. Although the colors are present, they don’t overpower the clothes which is something I feel will contribute to its success. The pajama pants and t-shirt are typical pieces that one would find in a school store, but by adding the fun print to the zip-up, students may be more curious to venture inside and take another look around.

Stripe 3 - Deanna Rowe

For the contest I drew most of my inspiration for the psychedelic era and hippies. The reason why I drew my inspiration from this era was because of the bright colors that people of that era used. I also used this era because in my opinion the psychedelic era was symbolic for peace and unity. Part of LIM College's ambition is to create a dynamic student body that promotes personal and academic growth in a steady social environment. In my opinion, LIM College is trying to achieve unity between everyone that is a part of the LIM body. The psychedelic era was filled with bright colors like the LIM College colors and patterns like flowers and tie-dye.

The product that I have decided to manufacture for the LIM College bookstore is a fashionable tote with a laptop compartment. That could be very useful and practical not only for students but for the entire LIM College body. Most student and faculty carry their laptops to school on a regular basis. I carry my laptop with me every day to school and I love the LIM College tote bags that were given to all students at the beginning of school year but there is one major problem with the totes. The problem is there is a lack of compartments and that causes a lack of organization when using the LIM tote.

I strongly believe that students at LIM College would highly appreciate a bag that is fashionable, practical, durable and a bag that will provide enough space and compartments to properly organize school work and supplies.

For the laptop bag I would use chose a medium weight duck cotton for the exterior. The reason why I chose duck is because it is inexpensive and can easily be dyed. Duck is a material that is very durable and long lasting. Since duck is a sturdy material it would be good for the exterior of the bag. For the interior of the bag, I would like there to be lightweight cotton, like regular twill weave cotton.

The exterior of the bag would be one of LIM solid colors either red or one of the purple colors. I would like to see the LIM logo embellished on the tote. The embellishment would start midway through the side front of the bad and end in the side back with the M of the logo. The interior of the bag would be one of the patterns I designed. If the exterior of the bag is a solid color, it would be a lot easier to match with different outfits and both male and female could carry the bag.

Stripe 4 - Ashley Wellema

To be inspired by someone or something is one of the most important things in life to experience. This inspiration must express how you feel and also be appealing to not only you, but others as well. My inspiration for creating this stripe, while using the LIM colors, has a gothic twist. I was initially inspired by “Tim Burton’s Magical Fashion” spread in the October 2009 issue of Harper’s Bazaar magazine. This spread showed high fashion clothing through the eyes of movie director, Tim Burton displaying his love for the gothic world. This spread inspired me to want to create a Spring/Summer collection based on the color palette of black and shades of gray with accent colors being different shades purples and reds.

The LIM colors are purple, red and lavender, in general terms, and those three colors play a strong role in my stripe pattern. My gothic inspiration has somewhat come from my own sense of style. The punk rock, grunge fashion has recently become my personal fashion inspiration. This grungy, un-put together look has become prominent in celebrity fashion and I feel that is where the students at LIM are pulling their own style inspiration.

Stripe 5 - Shanel Kenney

The inspiration for my textiles came from New York City graffiti art images. The vibrant colors of the art inspired my accent color choices and my designs. Graffiti is not a very traditional art form, it's something out of the box. The unorthodox things in the world are the things that inspire me the most. Anyone can throw some paint on a canvas and call it art. The places you see the graffiti done, and the meticulousness of it simply amazes me. Although to some it is seen as destructive to me it is inspired. I used parts of the graffiti to create all over patterns, and for my accent colors in my plaids and stripes. I used the LIM colors as the main colors, and pulled other vibrant, complimentary colors, from the graffiti art to make the textile prints pop and be more interesting.

I envision my patterns being used on products such as draw string pajama pants, pencil holders, or lounge shorts. I personally live in pajama pants and lounge shorts when I am home, or lounging around my dorm. So, finding ones with fun prints and colors always excites me. I would use fabrics such as jersey knit for the lounge shorts and pajama pants, and canvas for the pencil cases. I would mostly use the stripes and all over prints for the pencil cases, and plaids for the pajama pants and lounge shorts.

I will be creating cotton bralette, cotton underwear and a cotton sleep dress. The sleep dress will be loose fitting and have thin straps with lace trim. The colors will be opaque and soft but still using the requested colors. The stripe and plaid will be very thin. There will also be a lace trim detail on all of the pieces. The look of the pieces are romantic, soft and of course comfortable.

The fabric will be stretch cotton; the lace used will also be cotton. The inspiration for these products comes from my interest in romantic soft colors and details. I also believe that these products will sell well in our school because it is something students will actually buy. The bookstore currently does not have these products and it is something that students will wear everyday under their clothes or to sleep at night. The sleep dress can also be used as a beach cover up in the summer time.

Plaid 2 - Rei Ito

My inspiration was derived while walking to school on Fifth Avenue. Although it was only the beginning of February, many stores were already advertising for their spring collection. One common factor that came across the luxurious stores and the affordable stores on Fifth Avenue was that they incorporated various shades of blue in their window display: sky blue, true navy, indigo blue, and blue-violet. The color blue brought back memories of the clear, deep blue ocean of Hawaii and essentially, came up with the theme of “marine beach.” LIM College’s school colors also add a lively essence with the cheerful red and the powerful violet-blue. Marine theme fits the characteristics of students at LIM College because many of the students enjoy traveling to destinations near a beach or an ocean during their holiday breaks. The merchandise designed can be worn during their travel and as student’s routine wardrobe here at school.

The end use for the textile will include t-shirts, an eco-friendly bag, and a beach towel. T-shirts are an essential garment that can suit any type of body. It is also preferred clothing by many people because of its comfort and the flexibility to match with any outfit. The marine t-shirt will be designed slightly larger than the normal scale so that it can be worn over swim-suits to give off an edgy appearance on the beach. It can also be matched with denim jeans to create a casual look. Nowadays eco-friendly bags are a crucial must-have item. During a holiday break, students can utilize it as a beach bag and when they are back at school, they can carry their textbooks. The bag will also be practical for grocery shopping and will save plastic bags as well. When students go to a resort destination, beach towels are a necessity. A marine beach towel will convey a vibrant look and will be sure to stand out from the crowd. The towels can also be used at home and at LIM dormitory.

Since the theme for the look is “marine beach,” which the term is affiliated with the sea and nature, utilizing organic cotton for fabric would best suit the inspiration. Unlike regular cotton, organic cotton is grown by using materials that reduce the environmental impact. It does not use any herbicides or pesticides that are toxic and relies on the balance between beneficial insects and healthy soil. The production of organic cotton is steadily growing and one-fourth of the manufacturing was done in the United States in 2009. The end use of organic cotton however, does not differ from ordinary cotton and can be used for almost any product including t-shirts, towels, and bags.

Cotton becomes stronger when wet, which is great for laundering at home. This is a crucial benefit for students when they are trying to make their clothes last for a long period of time. The t-shirts would be knits because knits can provide elasticity. The stretches found in knits are natural and the knitted loops provide comfort and ease. By using a knitted fabric, the garment will stretch and will be able to fit broad body types. The bags and the towels will be woven for the opposite reason of knits: they do not expand and will be able to carry heavy items without stretching the fabric. Cotton fabrics are hydrophilic, meaning that they absorb water quickly and are able to dry quickly. This is an important factor for the beach towel. Cotton has good strength which is an essential point for the bags. The more strength a fabric has, the sturdier and durable the product becomes as a result.

Organic cotton well represents the inspiration for this contest and carries the suitable characteristics needed for the end merchandise.

Plaid 3 - Kristin Lotano

I was very inspired by all things Paris. I recently saw a documentary on Paris and was instantly amazed. The bright lights of the Eiffel Tower give off a magical image and the architecture gives off a broken feel. Parisian couture is instantly associated with the city. Some of the best designers and couturiers come out of Paris. I was inspired by their attention to fine detail and the immaculate work that is reflected in every design. I have never been to Paris but it is on my list of places to go. By using it as my inspiration I am hoping to learn more fascinating facts about it. I want the clothing to reflect the silhouettes and street chic, sophisticated feel of a Parisian woman. I am also inspired by the famous Avenue Montaigne which is Paris’s Rodeo Drive. The reason I really choose Paris as an influence is because they are always ahead of the trend so why not have the LIM merchandise ahead of the trend as well?

The types of styles I envision for the end products being sold at the bookstore include a legging, an off the shoulder t-shirt, shorts, and a lounge pant. The legging is something that LIM doesn’t currently offer so I really want that to be the stand out piece. The legging will come in a shorter style and a longer style that falls at the ankle. The LIM logo will be featured on the upper left hand corner in smaller writing with rhinestones being used to add a little sparkle to the logo. For the off shoulder shirt I want it to be light and airy. It will feature the LIM logo on the back of the shirt and the front will be plain. The shorts and lounge pant will go together as a set meaning they will be identical in color and the placement of the logo. I want the short and pant to be not as heavy as the current styles available at the store.

Plaid 4 - Nicole Powell

Romanticism. The word alone leaves us to think of love and a blissful lifestyle with the one person who you care for the most. When I think of Romanticism I think of rich and luxurious colors wrapped around couture silhouettes. I believe the idea of romanticism is very powerful and changed the way people saw life and especially fashion. It was a much more daring time for people. Clothing became unique and a more drastic part to people’s everyday choices. This was one of the main reasons I chose this inspiration. I wanted to create unique products and patterns that no other college or fashion school would have.

When creating my plaid pattern, I wanted to create something different and unique, just like the movement of Romanticism. I also wanted to incorporate accent colors that coordinated well with my theme of Romanticism as well as LIM College’s colors. I used the LIM College colors which are purple, lavender and red, and also added accents such as beige, pink, and brown to create a bold plaid. The accent colors are neutral and blend very nicely with the bright school colors. Their contrast with one another creates a great look for representation in school products as well as a great pattern for an everyday look for any fashionista.

Plaid 5 - Chevelley Vidal

Being a current fashion student at LIM and working in the fashion industry among other students you learn that fashion is about expressing who we are and how we appear. This plaid is something that is fashionable, unique and shows the expression of who you are. I have learned this is the art in fashion: expressing yourself through what you wear. It’s not only what you see at the store but how you visualize it and personalize it to yourself. The store sells you the fabric and the trend, but you are the one that presents it to the world.

That was my inspiration in the creation of this plaid. To show that you can personalize textiles or plaids you are using and make it into something unique and express it to the world in a different light.

I was inspired by the season of spring. When I think of spring, I think of bright colors in polka dot and stripe patterns. The vivid patterns, exhilarated color schemes and fresh spring air all bring together the happiness of the season that brings the summer heat. Polka dots inspire me to wear playful patterns, mix and match colors, and refresh the winter wardrobe by all means.

Pattern 2 - Nicole Clonan

I wanted to create a pattern that was feminine yet edgy. Feminine and edgy describes my own personal style so I wanted to incorporate something similar to my repeating pattern using the LIM College colors. The pattern almost appears 3-D as I made the curves various colors with the black outline which creates that 3-D look.

One of my favorite brands is BDG sold at Urban Outfitters. I love all their dresses, skirts and blouses, and own many of their pieces. I feel this pattern can directly correspond right into the BDG line. When I look at the pattern I can see it becoming a wrap dress, a skirt, or a pattern on the sleeves of a blouse. I think its bright, bold colors will make for an excellent pattern on any garment. It represents the LIM Community with the funky unique pattern representing the college in its assigned colors.

Pattern 3 - Lauren Trembulak

1970’s patterns are unforgettable and recognizable to everyone, even those of us who weren’t alive to witness the iconic era. The decade's outrageous use of color and quirkiness are qualities that LIM students incorporate into their own style every day, making the 1970’s a perfect inspiration for LIM merchandise.

While the LIM College student loves quirky and unique styles, they are very selective in choosing pieces to add to their fabulous wardrobes. This is why I think sleepwear would be the ideal type of merchandise to cater to the needs of students at LIM College. Everyone loves fun, comfortable pajamas, whether you’re a twelve year old child, a middle-aged woman, or a young fashion student; they appeal to all.

I created 1970’s inspired stripes, plaids, and patterns to be used for items such as pajama pants, t-shirts, slippers, blankets, and sleeping masks. The pajama pants will be constructed of 100% cotton flannel and the matching T-Shirt will be made of cotton jersey. The slippers and blanket will be made from 100% cotton chenille, and the sleeping mask will use 3 layers of cotton jersey for optimal light blocking.

Most schools sell sweatpants, sweatshirts, t-shirts, hats, etc., but no sleepwear. When LIM includes this line of merchandise into their store, it will add to their uniqueness and contribute to what makes this school so innovative and special.

Pattern 4 - Andrea Rapucciuolo

The summer is right around the corner and when you think about going to the beach with friends you can not forget that beach towel to lie on. When thinking of inspiration of what to use for this beach towel, I thought of being at the beach. The beach was my main inspiration for this beach towel. I used the colors of the water and sunset to make my stripes and plaids.

The product I would like to create is an LIM College beach towel. Why not have your very own LIM College beach towels? The patterns and stripes I used in my inspiration I thought would make a great beach towel with the LIM logo going across it. The colors I used beside the LIM colors are bright and great for the summer.

The cotton fabric that will be used to make the towels would be made from the fabric terry cloth which is a woven. The loops are drawn up above the ground cloth and locked into place with the subsequent one or two picks in the ground cloth. Also another type of fabric that can be used to design this towel is also velour which can be more absorbent than the average bath towels. The towel size is about 30”x60”and hopefully my fellow students will love to have their LIM College beach towel every time they go to the beach this summer.